If they are anything like EK emulsion research people, they are about 45 - 85 years old and mostly all laid off, retired or in digital photo research.

Those that remain at EK fit the description I gave above for Ilford. They are mostly development people applying known internal improvements to existing products. An example would be the application of the 2 electron sensitization to new consumer color films.

It is my understanding that the Research and R&D emulsion arm of Ilford is virtually gone! This means that only Development remains, and that will limit the options coming out of Ilford to modifications of existing materials within known parameters. How far this can be taken is known only to them.

In other words, there are no more emulsion makers at Ilford except those in the plant making and maintaining current products or making modifications within certain limits to create variants on those products with improved characteristics.

PE

A group of us from APUG are going up to Mobberley in June for a tour of Ilford so we'll keep an eye open for any very old grey bearded scientists who look like they're doing research!

Personally, I'd like to see APX-100 tonality, with a neutral-toned base that could be used to make B&W Slides. The ability to build contrast, so that flat scenes could have the tones pulled apart without becoming objectionally grainy wouldn't hurt either.

OTOH, the extended Red of Tech-Pan was frequently useful, and it would be nice to have that available again, preferably in a film that could be run in standard developers.

While I shoot quite a bit hand-held these days, a glacially slow film with good mid-tone separation would fit certain of my needs nicely, especially in 120 or sheets. In the short term, I suppose it's time to spend more time with T-Max 100, and a little bit of optimization.

As one who always reads your well informed and knowledgeble contributions with interest and respect, I am pleased to inform you that your source is very, very incorrect, yes our resources were depleted by our administration in August 2004, and we have just announced the loss of 12 jobs ( out of 375 ) but I can assure we have a creative, active, dedicated and capable R&D team for product development and manufacturing R&D FOR MONOCHROME products ( and some other other products as well ), and in line with our strategy of continuing to be the supplier with the widest range of monochrome products in the World...bar none.

Its not an R&D issue ( although it would need some ) it would need to be coated on a different ( new ) base, the volume we would have to buy would not make it viable from a business point of view, I am really sorry.